Rudimentary
by CrimsonFlowers
Summary: Basically, when they first meet, they're both at a loss for words. And then kissing ensues in a barroom. Because NALU.


**_I REGRET NOTHING. I wrote this like a month ago, literally because of NALU FEELS. It takes place in earlier x700, so don't blame me if Natsu or Lucy sound OOC D:_**

**_So this is just for fun, basically. _**

**_Enjoy. Or don't. :P_**

* * *

_Pat-Pat-Pat_

He lays eyes on her, absorbing every aspect of her being.

_Thump-Thump_

She narrows her eyes at him in challenge, surveying this conspicuous man.

A strange pounding beats against his chest. The way she regards him in such a despicable, demeaning manner. The way the wind sweeps up her hair and unwinds every golden tangled strand.

Her forehead throbs painfully, damaging every sense of sanity. The way he regards her with those dull, onyx irises that ensnare her in a strong grip she cannot break free from.

Every limb in his body is numbed the more he stares at her. He attempts to evade her matching gaze, to forget the subtle contact they have made. But when he does, her entrancing figure burns into his retinas and doesn't disappear. Looking away only increases his incredible longing to see her face once more. He is curious. He wants to learn what this feeling is.

The rate of her heartbeat is skyrocketing, but her breathing slows for reasons unbeknownst to her. When he looks away first, she does as well. But her heart is still racing and the inconsistent thrashing in her chest is making it almost impossible to breathe. She is experiencing something powerful within her own body. She wishes to know what this feeling is.

_They pass by. They only look forward, toward the direction they are heading. _

_ In truth, their minds are occupied with the thoughts of one another. _

So when Natsu Dragneel fails to resist temptation, he turns back.

Lucy Heartfilia is already one step ahead of him. They hold each other's gazes ever so delicately and this evokes tenacious determination that is shared. They will both cross paths again for sure.

* * *

Natsu Dragneel lets out a long laugh and slams his drink on the counter. He is amused as he points to the woman sitting next to him. "You hated me when we first met. Did you already forget?"

"Hardly a meeting." Lucy Heartfilia scoffs and folds her arms. "You were giving me a strange look that could have gotten you arrested."

They are in a barroom seated right by the counter.

A strange place for them to meet, really, but Lucy goes along with it. She ordered water with a dash of honey to ignore the putrid odor wafting from the mouths of many drunk men.

"Nuh-uh! You were looking at me funny, too!" Natsu says accusingly, taking large gulps of his beer. "Actually, you looked like you met the love of your life!" He adds, triumphant when the blonde's face turns into a shaded red.

Lucy sits back in her seat, mortified at his conclusion. "I-I did not!" She protests, unable to think of a proper rebuttal. "Y-You're crazy!"

"Yeah, you're right." Natsu squints at her. "But we're talking about you now. You were checking me out. I can tell."

"Would you-" Lucy sucks in her breath. She is being upstaged by a man who is _drinking. _Not only that, but they are discussing an inadequate subject that Lucy does not wish to recall. "It would do you wonders if you shut up right now, at this very minute." She scowls.

Natsu drums his fingers on the table, tapping out a melody that Lucy cannot follow at all. "I think it's safe to say you like me." He says smugly.

"That is just ridiculous. You're-You're drunk! Drunk aren't you?" She says half-heartedly, but loudly so others will not receive the wrong idea.

Her part-suspicion/part-excuse is confirmed as Natsu takes another long swig, only to be met with a single drop of liquor. "Eh? No more. . " He grumbles incoherently. He slides off of his chair and staggers like a drunkard towards the closest barrel full of gallons of beer.

Lucy knows fully well what occurs when a man takes too many doses of alcohol. So instincts take over and she shoots up to her feet.

"Oh no you don't," Lucy warns, wary of the results of this and hastily assaults him by leaping onto his back. She locks her hands around his abdomen in midair. To her alarm, Natsu is overthrown by Lucy's weight and they both fall to the floor with a loud thud.

Only a handful of villagers are in the bar, but heads turn nonetheless and Lucy is speechless to find herself face-to-face with Natsu.

_Didn't he fall face-first?_ She thinks frantically.

He smirks devilishly. "Is that how it is?" He asks in amusement.

"Wait!" Lucy realizes how inappropriate of a position they are in. Her legs are practically tangled up in Natsu's, and she is too up close and personal for comfort. Her own body is draped over his, and she can feel pairs of eyes gluing onto her back. She tries to get to her feet and away from the man, but Natsu grabs her arm and makes her lose the little footing she formerly had.

Now her face is only centimeters away from his. Her heart races again, all because of him. She's panicking as well, because she realizes they are making a scene. Either Natsu isn't aware or doesn't give a care, because he latches one hand around the back of her neck. With the other he gently touches her face.

"What are you-?" Lucy sputters. She lashes at his wrist and desperately keeps his fingers away from her skin. The rate of her heartbeat is stomping on every vein, almost to the point of rupturing.

She uses basic breathing exercises, in futile hopes to calm herself. She utilizes her diaphragm by inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. She does this repeatedly, but the exercise only seems to make her heart beat faster.

"Wow." One word slips from Natsu's lips in a hushed whisper. He relents his hand, to Lucy's extreme relief. But his other hand is still on the back of her neck. The warmth of it spreads internally.

Lucy swallows, even though there is no stray saliva in her throat. She says nothing this time.

"I knew you were pretty."

_Thump-Thump-Thump _

It takes a whole 3 seconds to comprehend and pick apart what he has just said.

_He thinks I'm pretty? _She thinks deliriously, unable to prevent the bubbly feeling rising in her chest.

"But I didn't think you were this beautiful." Natsu continues softly. He raises his closest hand again only to flick at a stray lock of Lucy's hair hanging above his nose.

He lifts it higher and he strokes Lucy's face. He daintily moves his thumb in circles on Lucy's right cheek. Then he observes Lucy's lips so intently that Lucy undergoes a feeling of violation.

His thumb hovers over them. He hesitantly prods her bottom lip.

Lucy shivers, although it isn't cold.

"Lucy?" Natsu murmurs in a sleep-like state, still gaining a feel for her lips.

"Yes?" She blinks.

"Would you hate me if I kissed you right now?"

She studies him. She wonders if he is still drunk, if he understands what he is asking her. If he's not sober, then Lucy is at fault here, for taking advantage of the man she acquainted with only a few months ago. On the other hand, she's not responsible for his actions, and if one thinks hard enough about it, he is invading_ her_ personal space.

_But you're letting him. _

Multiple scenarios play through her mind. She can knock him out, put him to sleep, and have him wake up in the morning with no memory of any of this. It is probably for the best as well, since giving in to Natsu's needs will mostly likely end in severe consequences. Another scene cuts in and a curious part of her reminds her of what occurred on the night they first laid eyes on each other. It wants to obtain the true meaning of this feeling. It wants to know why Natsu desires a kiss from her, and why Lucy aspires to accept.

_He's drunk, Lucy. He isn't thinking. _

If she doesn't want to get hurt, she shouldn't do it. She shouldn't. It's too late, though, because Lucy settles on letting him kiss her for the sake of new knowledge. She assures herself everything will be fine, and gives Natsu her answer.

"No. I wouldn't mind at all."

Natsu says nothing in turn. He only lowers Lucy's face, so their noses are now centimeters away from making contact, and tilts it. Lucy doesn't resist. He removes his hand from around the back of Lucy's neck and laces it with one of her own. Lucy doesn't resist.

She never realized how stiff her body is until now. She's clammy all over with cold sweat.

Quick and less than a second, Lucy almost misses it, Natsu brings her face as close as possible to him and their lips meet.

Lucy's eyes are wide open, but Natsu's are closed. He almost appears to be having a dream.

She shuts her eyes then. In infinite darkness, there are many different colors that paint stories and dreams and of course, sensations.

As for the kiss, it's not as aggressive as Lucy had thought it would be. The energy between them is spellbinding, in a way that is not exactly powerful, but sharp and firm. It's a kiss that transpires the fact that Natsu is _there. _His presence is known to her and she never forgets that he is with her, that he is exchanging something special with her.

An odd feeling really. From what Lucy heard or saw, whether in parchment or person, a kiss is a gateway to the numbing of all perceptions except for the sensation of kissing itself.

It is a form of ecstasy or lust that causes you to forget your surroundings, including the very person you are sharing the kiss with. Perhaps it is partially true, since she momentarily forgot about where she is and that there are people watching this entire episode occurring.

But Natsu remained in her thoughts the whole time, and he still does.

And she never drifts off or daydreams, she stays exactly where she is.

They keep their lips locked together, and Lucy assumes that they both want to savor this moment without any pauses for breath.

She wants to explore further, to experience something more than just the addictive alcoholic taste and the scent of him. She chides herself for craving more.

She no longer perceives Natsu's lips on hers, so she opens her eyes. Natsu is staring at her. He attempts to sit up now. Lucy coughs awkwardly, and lifts her body off of him. She sits on the floor just as Natsu does.

The whole time, Lucy notices, he doesn't take his eyes off of her.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Lucy mutters, self-conscious even after everything that has happened.

Natsu rests his elbow on the edge of his knee - he's sitting indian style - and props the side of his face on his palm. He genuinely grins, one where his unnaturally sharp teeth poke out from his upper lip. He looks, strangely put, lovestruck. As if Cupid's arrow just pierced him, he's giving off the impression of a foolish man who's fallen hard for a woman.

"No reason." He seems to marvel at the sight of her. He chuckles and Lucy's heart flutters at the sound. "I just really want to kiss you again."

A flare goes off in Lucy's system. Her face is being scalded off from blushing madly. "Y-You're insufferable!" She cries, and tosses her head to the side so she won't have to look at that pink-haired moron.

A twinge of giddiness is there, though and it makes fireworks go off in her stomach.

She finally knows what she experienced that night they met. She discreetly smiles to herself, even though Natsu still has his eyes on her.


End file.
